RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Peltophorum pterocarpum is a rich source for phenols and the wood, leaves, and flowers of the plant are used as medicinal agents in traditional medicine. Peptic ulcer is a major disease of gastrointestinal tract, affecting nearly 40 lac people each year worldwide and affects 10% of world population with different aetiologies. Peltophorum pterocarpum consists of phenols and flavonoids, tannins which have potential antioxidant and cytoprotective activity. AIM: To evaluate the antiulcer activity of methanolic extract of the leaves of Peltophorum pterocarpum (MEPP) on albino rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The rats were divided into four groups as control, standard, test 1 (extract: 100 mg/kg) and test 2 (extract: 200 mg/kg) with six rats in each group. Gastric lesions were induced by oral administration of indomethacin (20 mg/kg) followed by pylorus ligation. Standard group of animals were treated with misoprostol and test group of animals were treated with MEPP at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg. To determine the antiulcer activity of extract, mean ulcer index, free acidity and total acidity were evaluated. RESULTS: Ulcer index was significantly decreased at p<0.01 in MEPP treated groups as compared to control group. Total and free acidity was significantly decreased at p<0.01 in MEPP treated groups as compared to control group. Histological analysis also supported the gastro protective effect of MEPP treated groups when compared with control groups. CONCLUSION: The study revealed that MEPP exhibited potential antiulcer activity and showed dose dependent antiulcer effect.
